TAMPA, Fla. — The 2024 Gasparilla Pirate Fest is here, and thousands of pirates are ready to invade Hillsborough Bay.
Grab your beads, costumes and eye patches, and get ready for the annual Gasparilla parades. The parades will affect parking and traffic, so here's everything you need to know about the fest.
The Children's Gasparilla Parade kicked things off on Saturday, January 20 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
An annual tradition since 1947, this alcohol-free parade showcased extravagant floats, krewes, marching bands and more. The 1.5-mile parade route started at Bay to Bay Boulevard and Bayshore Boulevard and stretched all the way to Edison Avenue.
Despite cooler temperatures, sunny weather made the annual event pleasant for people like David Kinsey, who traveled to Tampa from Indiana to attend the parade.
“My son is all pirates, so this is what brought us down here," he said. “Our kids have had so much fun. Like, it’s just the greatest thing for no cost. Bring ‘em down.”
Children's Gasparilla is just the beginning of the pirate-themed festivities.
The 2024 Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa Gasparilla Pirate Fest kicks off on Saturday, January 27.
Gasparilla Invasion: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
This year, the Jose Gasparilla II will set sail from the south of Hillsborough Bay and continue north to the Seddon Channel (the area between Davis Island & Harbour Island) before docking at the Tampa Convention Center.
The annual reenactment of Tampa's historic invasion of the Gasparilla Flotilla
The Gasparilla Flotilla, led by Jose Gasparilla and the swashbuckling YMKG pirates, will dock at the Tampa Convention Center, where they've commanded Mayor Jane Castor to surrender the key to the city to the Captain of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla.
With the key to the city in hand, the Krewe celebrates their victory in a Parade of Pirates down Bayshore Boulevard.
The U.S. Coast Guard asks anyone who chooses to take their boat on the water Saturday to keep safety equipment on board and have two ways of emergency communication.
Parking: Parking will be available at the Tampa Convention Center and throughout downtown. City-run garages will have a special event parking rate paid upon entry. Officials recommend attendees arrive early as parking will fill up quickly for the event.
Tickets: Free to the public
Gasparilla Parade: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
To celebrate their capture of Tampa, the Captain and his Krewe share their wealth—glittering beads, treasures and doubloons—with a lively, enthusiastic crowd all along the 4.5-mile parade route.
Tampa’s original buccaneers make their way down historic Bayshore Boulevard and into downtown Tampa amidst colorful costumes and festive music. The Gasparilla Parade of the Pirates will boast around 140 units of floats, Krewes, marching bands and the infamous YMKG pirates.
The parade begins at Bay to Bay and Bayshore Boulevard. It continues along Bayshore Boulevard to Brorein Street, turns east on Brorein Street, then north on Ashley Drive. The parade ends at Cass Street and Ashley Drive.
Tickets: Free to the public. Reserved seating is available here.
The 2024 Pirate Fest will feature stages along the Riverwalk in downtown Tampa, with live entertainment pre and post-parade in Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park (Ashley and Twiggs), and MacDill Park (Ashley and Whiting).
MACDILL PARK STAGE (98 ROCK):
- 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. - DJ/STATION MUSIC
- 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. - Kyle Ingram Trio
- 3 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. - Break for Parade of the Pirates
- 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. - Seven Nations Celtic Rock Band
CURTIS HIXON PARK STAGE
- 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. - DJ / STATION MUSIC
- 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. - Live Band
- 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. - Break for Parade of the Pirates
- 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. - Live Band
RECOMMENDED: (TBA)
If you need help with parking, the City of Tampa has provided maps of where you can park for the pirate celebration.
- Bayshore Beautiful
- Davis Island
- Downtown
- Historic Hyde Park (North)
- Historic Hyde Park (South)
- Hyde Park Spanishtown Creek (East)
- Hyde Park Spanishtown Creek (West)
- New Suburb Beautiful
- Palma Ceia (East)
- Palma Ceia (West)
- Parkland Estates
TECO Line Streetcar System & HART Bus Service
WET ZONES
Adults who are of legal drinking age and choose to drink should do so responsibly and inside designated "wet zones," which are located along the parade route and at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park.
